We have no faith in LTTE’s unilateral ceasefire

Devananda tells EU Parliamentarians:

Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, Douglas Devananda
said that he had no faith in the unilateral ceasefire declared by the
Tigers as they would conveniently use this period to strengthen
themselves militarily in the manner they had done on previous occasions
and that everyone was well aware of their tactics.

He was speaking at a discussion with the visiting European Union
Parliamentarians this week.

The Minister said that an honourable and lasting solution to the
political rights of the Tamil-speaking people could be achieved through
devolution of power and that the first stage of his party’s three stage
political proposal that would prove to be successful was now in progress
and that it was a step in the right direction.

Accordingly, a Provincial Council had now been set up in the Eastern
Province through an election. Though many shortcomings had been
reported, this election should be viewed as a beginning, made towards
realising the political rights of the Tamil-speaking people.

He said that the Tigers could not exist in a democratic framework and
what the Tiger leader yearned for was a land from where he could carry
forward his terror activities.